This invention relates in general to parts washers and, in particular, to an accessory for a parts washer for cleaning mechanical parts and the like.
More specifically, without restriction to the particular use which is shown and described, this invention relates to an accessory for a parts washer, by which a parts washer of suitable design can safely and effectively subject parts to be washed to a circulating flow of cleaning fluid or, alternatively, to a soaking action by the selection retention of a predetermined level of circulating cleaning fluid in a sink. The accessory of the invention permits known parts washers to operate as intended without interference in a normal mode of operation to clean, while providing a soaking capability through which parts and the like may be cleaned under controlled safe conditions.
In numerous industries, such as in performing mechanical services in automobile parts repair and replacement and the like, there exists the crucial need to clean component mechanical parts prior to inspection, repair, or replacement thereof. Generally, such parts have been exposed to various contaminants such as dirt, grease and the like, which must be removed for effective repair or service. In the prior art, a variety of washing techniques have been employed to provide the requisite cleaning of the components as needed.
One highly effective parts washer, universally used in the industry, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,522,814 to Olson entitled Washer For Parts and the Like, to which reference herein is specifically made. The device described in the foregoing patent to Olson has been extremely successful in the industry by providing a parts washer having economical and hazard-free operation to subject parts to be cleaned to a circulating flow of solvent and the like. In operation of the device described in the Olson patent, a pump circulates a solvent from a drum into a sink containing parts for cleaning. A flow of solvent is directed against the parts and drains from the sink through a filtering medium for return to the drum. In the event of a fire, the washer described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,522,814 is capable of automatically closing a cover over the sink to minimize its effect.
Although the washer of U.S. Pat. No. 3,522,814 provides highly improved operative characteristics during cleaning, it has been found that it becomes advantageous to subject parts for a period of time to a soaking bath in a solvent or other fluid under certain encountered conditions such as, for example, where an extraordinary amount of foreign material is affixed to the elements to be washed. In known techniques, such soaking is accomplished generally by positioning the parts in a volume of fluid in an opened container from which undesired solvent fumes may be evaporated to the surroundings with a resulting costly depletion of fluid and the danger of uncontrolled fire or spilling being present. The prior art devices are lacking in the capability of maintaining a predetermined volume of solvent for soaking with the introduction of fresh solvent for better washing. The prevention of such uncontrolled soaking in an open vessel has become more advantageous in the light of numerous government regulations governing the use of substances in the form of solvents such as required by O.S.H.A. and the like. Thus, it is highly advantageous that an accessory be provided which allows effective washing of parts with drainage such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,522,814, with the alternative mode of operation as a highly effective and non-hazardous soaking device.
The accessory herein disclosed overcomes the foregoing problems by permitting a conventional washer to operate in its normal circulating mode without a substantial soaking action, with the added improvement of selectively retaining a quantity of solvent in a sink for a soaking application. The soaking operation provided by the accessory of the invention is accomplished by a device which prevents the escape of fumes to the surroundings and the costly evaporation of the cleaning solvent, and which at the same time minimizes the danger of fire and other accidents. In addition, the accessory of the present invention provides improved soaking by maintaining a predetermined level of fluid over the parts to be cleaned with constant circulation of the solvent. The device of the invention accomplishes such improved results with an economical device which requires little or no modification of existing washing equipment.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to improve the operation of washers for parts and the like;
A further object of the invention is to provide an accessory for parts and the like permitting the washer to operate in two modes of cleaning;
Another object of the invention is to provide an accessory for a washer permitting the soaking of parts therein in an economical, safe, and highly effective manner;
A still further object of the invention is to provide an accessory for a washer which can be adapted to any equipment with minimal modification;
Still another object of the invention is to soak parts and the like in a container by circulating fluid therethrough while maintaining a predetermined level of fluid;
These and other objects are attained in accordance with the present invention wherein there is provided an accessory for a parts washer capable of being positioned in the parts receiving sink of a known device by which, in a first operative mode, cleaning solvent and the like may selectively be drained from the sink subjecting the components to washing without a substantial accumulation of fluid therein. In a second operative position, the accessory herein disclosed permits the accumulation of a predetermined quantity of cleaning fluid within the parts containing sink for exposing the parts to be cleaned to a soaking action. The retention by the invention herein of fluid in the sink of a washer for such soaking may be automatically terminated by release of a downward force on an actuator means of the accessory being applied either by a protective cover, manual depression, and the like. To this end, the improved accessory of the application may effect a soaking action of parts to be cleaned in a washer in cooperation with a cover being placed over the solvent to be retained or that the accumulation of solvent is maintained in the presence of the operator. In a soaking mode, the accessory of the invention maintains a predetermined amount of fluid within the container to prevent overflowing and minimizes the potential danger of fire and vapor being transmitted to the surroundings.